What We Saw On The Mountain Home-Bootjack Hike (Oct. 28)

Here' s Wendy's flora and fauna recap from this hike:

FLOWERS

Morning glory, star thistle (non-native, invasive)

SHRUBS

Shatterberry (manzanita with hairy stem), California azalea, toyon (berries just turning red), chemise (greasewood), chaparral pea (spines that can stick you), yerba santa (fresh with no black mold on leaves), huckleberry

TREES

Chinquapin (spiny nuts cases), Douglas fir (not a true fir), California torreya (yew family, spiny needles), redwood, tanoak

FERNS

Chain fern at creek crossings

PLANTS WITH NO FLOWERS

Elk clover (AKA Aralia) - the plant with large, lush leaves growing in the creek beds)

INSECTS

California sisters (usually seen until Sept according to the book but we’ve seen one at the end of November), an orange sulfer (usually seen through October by the book, but we’ve seen them in November), CA ringlets (usually seen through September). Water striders.

BIRDS Hermit thrush, golden-crowned sparrows, dark-eyed juncos, ravens, a male Anna’s hummingbird doing a display dive.

MAMMALS Sonoma chipmunk, Western gray squirrel

OUR ROUTE: Cross paved road and take Hogback Fire Rd .3 miles to green water tanks, then left on Matt Davis all the way to Bootjack. Cross paved road and take trail. Where trail splits after bridge you can go left (as we did) to pick up Troop 80 Trail, or go right to Van Wyk Meadow and pick up Troop 80 Trail there. Take Troop 80 to Alice Eastwood Rd (paved) and go left (uphill) to Mt. Home.

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